June 08, 2017 14 Comments
You often ask us for recommendations: what are the best, most reliable Z-Wave motion sensors out there? The choice seems endless with new devices coming out every day. While we have our favorites, choosing the right sensor for YOU will depend on YOUR needs, lifestyle, and ideas on how to apply the product to your Z-Wave network and collection of devices. So we thought we should ask one of you to test and compare our best-selling smart home security sensors.
We wanted feedback from someone who has tested and programmed lots of Z-Wave devices but most importantly, from someone who has used them in real-life scenarios at home. The comments detailed below and the invaluable side-by-side comparison chart are by Kevin LaFramboise, an expert SmartThings user and the creator of some of the most advanced and stable custom device handlers for the popular platform.
Visit Kevin's SmartThings Repository on GitHub to check out his trailblazing work. And to thank him for his input to the community or to support future contributions, click here to donate.
If you're a SmartThings user, definitely check out this super informative video from DIY Smart Home Guy comparing all the options out there!
We're pretty sure you have plenty to add from your own experience so feel free to use the Comments section below and share!
Motion Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Motion Re-trigger Wait Time | 15-60 Seconds | 5 Seconds or 3 Minutes | 5 Seconds – 1 Hour | 5 Seconds – 10 Minutes | 1 Second – 9 Hours | 10 Seconds – 1 Hour |
Motion Sensitivity Levels | 7 | 3 | 10 | 247 | 247 | 5 |
Motion Coverage | 125° | 90° | 110° | 110° | 110° | 120° |
Motion Range | 40' | 6' – 39' | 9' – 27' | 21' | 23' | 15' |
Reports Temperature | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Temp Threshold | 0.1°F – 5.0°F | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.1°C – 25.5°C | 0.1°F – 50°F |
Temp Interval | 3 Minutes | N/A | N/A | N/A | Disabled – 9 Hours | USB (10 Seconds) or Battery (4 Minutes – 8 Hours) |
Reports Light | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Light Interval | 3 Minutes | N/A | N/A | 1 Minute – 10 Hours | Disabled – 9 Hours | USB (10 Seconds) or Battery (4 Minutes – 8 Hourrs) |
Max Light Level | 100% | N/A | N/A | 60,000 lux | 32,000 lux | 30,000 lux |
Reports Humidity | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Humidity Interval | 3 Minutes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | USB (10 Seconds) or Battery (4 Minutes – 8 Hourrs) |
LED Indicator | Large Multicolor | Medium Green | Medium Red Test Mode/Battery Low Only | Large Red | Large Multicolor | Small Multicolor |
LED Options | Disable/Motion/Temp (4 options) | None | None | Enable/Disable | Disabled, tamper options, temperature, motion, brightness | Enable/Disable |
Tamper Alert | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Earthquake Magnitude or x,y,z position) | Yes (Earthquake) |
Indoor/Outdoor | Indoor | Indoor | Indoor | Indoor | Indoor/Outdoor | Indoor/Outdoor |
Battery | 2 AAA | CR123A | CR2 | CR123A | CR123A | USB or CR123A (1 or 2) |
Z-Wave Plus | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Secure | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Price | $30 - $40 | $25 - $35 | $25 - $35 | $45 - $60 | $55 - $65 | $55 - $65 |
Dimensions | 2.25 x 2.25 x 1 in | 4.4 x 3.5 x 2.5 in | 2.5 x 3.4 x 1.7 in | 1.75" diameter | 1.75" diameter | 1.7” x 1.7” |
Mounting Height | At least 7' or ceiling | 6.5' – 7.5' | 5'4” - 6' | As high as possible or on Table Top | 7.9' | 7.5', ceiling, or table top |
Operating Temperature | 5°F – 104°F | 32°F – 120°F | 32°F – 104°F | 32°F – 104°F | 32°F – 104°F | 32°F – 104°F |
January 02, 2018
I love the Zooz Z-Wave Plus. I have been testing the battery life for several months in a very high tragic area. It has shown 1% battery life for over 4 months and it is still reporting fine. I am going to finish my video on this as soon as it really runs out of battery. All 3 of mine work like champions and only one shows the low battery. Even with this these are may favorite motion sensors I have ever owned.
I may make an IFTTT that texts me as soon as the motion sensor goes off line.
December 22, 2017
Hi JD, thanks for the note!
We were also confused by the mention in the manual so we consulted Chris at Aeotec directly and this is what he came back with: "It can be used outdoor as a motion sensor, but the customer will need to direct the PIR sensor away from the sun depending on how strong the sun is in the area.
We add this as a strong recommendation as strong sunlight can trigger the motion sensor, so if the user wants to use it, it may take some trial and error to avoid this issue by twisting around the sensor away from the run, or decreasing sensitivity of some time."
We’ll suggest to Aeotec that this disclaimer is added to the documentation to clear things up. Thanks again for pointing this out!
December 20, 2017
Great article!
One thing to note: although the Aeotec multi sensor is rated for outdoor use, the user manual specifically says that is only intended for its use as a temperature/light sensor. They recommend disabling the motion sensor feature if it will be used outside because of the high number of false alerts caused by weather changes. That’s true of pretty much all PIR motion sensors in this range, I just didn’t want anyone to feel confused and think that the Aeotec was rated for outdoor use as a motion sensor.
August 11, 2025 2 Comments
Smart home tech isn’t just for indoors anymore—it’s transforming yard care too. While we’re used to voice assistants and smart thermostats, outdoor tools like sprinkler systems are catching up. Instead of wasting water on rigid schedules, smart systems adapt to the weather, skip rainy days, and keep your lawn healthy with minimal effort.
Smart sprinkler control makes it easy to upgrade your existing irrigation system with a device like the Zooz ZEN17 Universal Relay. Compatible with SmartThings, Hubitat, Z-Box, Home Assistant, and HomeSeer, it fits into most smart home setups without locking you into one platform. This post covers the benefits of automating your sprinklers, how to set up the ZEN17, control options, and real user tips to help you get the most from your system.
June 12, 2025 2 Comments
Imagine this: it’s a stuffy summer night, and you’re already in bed when you realize the ceiling fan is off. Or maybe you’ve left the house and can’t remember if the bathroom fan is still running. What if your fan could turn on automatically when the room gets too warm—or shut off when no one’s around?
That’s the beauty of smart fan control. It’s not just about convenience (though turning your fan on with your voice or a tap on a smart remote is pretty great). It’s about making your home more energy-efficient, more responsive, and just... smarter.
November 29, 2024
Home Assistant is slowly but surely becoming the ultimate platform for comprehensive home automation. It allows users to create a truly customized and connected environment with the most integrations we've ever seen. Home Assistant has a pretty powerful automation engine too so you can program anything from simple lighting control to complex, multi-device routines. And it's open source which means we can all contribute and the basic software is free.
The secret to making your Home Assistant set-up better than ever? Add Z-Wave to it! You can instantly increase the functionality, reliability, and device compatibility of your smart home environment. Z-Wave brings a vast range of new device options that can communicate securely and consistently. They are feature rich with tons of advanced settings to choose from so you can find a good match for any use case.
curt
February 24, 2018
This is a great comparison. I got into this as I have a need for a sensor in 2 different areas: 1. outside – driveway. As my driveway is sandwiched between my house and a fence, I’d love a sensor that tells me if someone has crossed an invisible line. It sounds like in this instance none of these would work due to the PIR weather/temp issue. Can anyone recommend one? 2. I also have a condo where I would love to be able to turn the lights on when there is motion inside the front door. I’ve tried this with light switches that include a PIR sensor but the building is designed to pull air up through the gap under the door and the change in temperature this caused was constantly turning the light on. Are there any sensors that might work in a different way and be immune to this issue?